The Veggie Spiral Slicer Cookbook (16 page)

3.
   
Stir the lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and pour over the paella. Serve immediately.

Pork Katsudon

Pork
katsudon
is a very popular Japanese dish that consists of a fried pork cutlet on a bowl of rice, full of lots of onions and sometimes topped with an egg (sometimes the egg is mixed in). This recipe takes a distinctly American spin on a Japanese classic, with its addition of a honey mustard apple slaw and the use of long-grain and wild rice. This dish can easily be doubled.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

      
vegetable oil, for frying

      
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

      
3 large eggs, divided

      
2 boneless pork chops, pounded thin

      
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly

      
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

      
2 tablespoons honey

      
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

      
1 red apple, spiralized on blade 3

      
steamed green beans, to serve on the side

      
2 cups hot, cooked long-grain and wild rice

1.
   
In a large lidded skillet, heat 1/2-inch of oil on medium-high to fry your pork chops.

2.
   
Place the panko breadcrumbs on a plate. Beat one of the eggs and dredge each pork chop through it, then bread each chop with panko, leaving them to rest in the crumbs while you wait for the oil to heat up. Once the oil is hot enough, fry each cutlet until it is cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes each side. Set aside the cutlets, and dispose of the cooking oil. Return the skillet to medium-high heat.

3.
   
Add the sliced onions and cook until soft and translucent. About halfway through, when the onions begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, add half of the apple cider vinegar, making sure to scrape all of the delicious brown bits off of the bottom of the pan. These bits contain crazy amounts of flavor and are a good thing.

4.
   
While the onions are cooking, slice the pork cutlets into manageable strips. If the onions continue to stick to the pan use the remaining vinegar to deglaze the pan. Once the onions are softened, place the sliced pork on top of the onions. Beat one egg and pour it on top of one of the pork chops. Repeat this with the other egg and cutlet. Cover and lower heat to medium.

5.
   
While the eggs are cooking, mix the honey and mustard in a large bowl. Add the spiralized apples and toss to combine.

6.
   
Once the eggs are cooked, remove the skillet from the heat, but keep the lid on.

7.
   
To serve, assemble the katsudon in a bowl as so: Place the side of steamed green beans on one side, and fill the other half of the bottom of the bowl with the cooked rice. Top with the wilted onions and pork cutlet covered in egg. Lastly, place the honey mustard apple slaw on top, and enjoy!

Mini Greek Turkey Meatballs on Zucchini Noodles

I love the miniature nature of these feta cheese–enhanced meatballs. Each one is a tiny bite of light turkey packing a powerful Greek-flavored punch. Don’t let the three-step process scare you. You can easily whip up the pesto while the meatballs cook, and the noodles merely need to get warmed before stirring everything together.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

For the meatballs:

      
1 (16-ounce) package lean ground turkey

      
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped fine

      
1 medium clove garlic, minced

      
1 tablespoon dried oregano

      
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

      
2 eggs

      
1 cup panko breadcrumbs

      
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For the pesto:

      
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

      
2 cloves garlic

      
1 cup fresh spinach

      
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the pasta:

      
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

      
2 large zucchinis, spiralized on blade 3

1.
   
To make the meatballs, combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. This may be easiest to mix by hand, as you want to ensure that you are mixing each ingredient around equally. Otherwise, a strong spatula can work.

2.
   
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Roll the meat into balls about 1 inch wide. Add the meatballs to the pan, making sure not to crowd it. Cook the meatballs in two batches if need be. Cook until the meatballs are browned on all sides and the centers are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Set the meatballs aside.

3.
   
To make the pesto, place all of the pesto ingredients into the bowl of your food processor and process until a paste is formed. You may have to stop the processor, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix again.

4.
   
To cook the noodles, using the large skillet once more, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Add the noodles, stir to coat with oil, cover, and cook for approximately 7 minutes or until the noodles are softened.

5.
   
To serve, add the pesto to the noodles and toss to combine. Top with the mini meatballs.

Veggie Patty

A good veggie patty can help rescue you on a weeknight when you don’t really feel like cooking or trying a new, involved recipe. This is a straightforward recipe that benefits from the slight sweetness of the cooked parsnips. I love this recipe paired with a strong mustard and some mayonnaise on toasted brioche buns.

MAKES 4 LARGE PATTIES

      
3 tablespoons butter

      
2 medium parsnips, spiralized on blade 3

      
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced thin

      
1 medium clove garlic, minced

      
1 teaspoon salt

      
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

      
4 eggs

      
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1.
   
In a large skillet, melt the butter on medium-high. Once the butter is melted, add the parsnip noodles, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

2.
   
Remove the cover and add the mushrooms. Stir occasionally and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms release some of their liquid and the noodles are softened.

3.
   
Add the garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool just enough to handle.

4.
   
Mix in the eggs and breadcrumbs. Form patties with your hands, compacting them firmly.

5.
   
Return the now-empty skillet to medium-high heat and cook the patties, flipping once, until they are cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

6.
   
Serve with your favorite burger toppings and enjoy!

Potato Noodles with Andouille and Red Beans

This noodle dish is a play on jambalaya and features some of the most well-known and best-loved flavors from the Southern Louisiana region. Andouille is a unique smoked sausage. If you cannot find it, try substituting it with a kielbasa or other smoked sausage. Alternatively, you can add a teaspoon of liquid smoke to your dish.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

      
1 tablespoon salt

      
2 medium white potatoes, spiralized on blade 3

      
1 link andouille sausage, sliced

      
4 green onions, sliced

      
3 cloves garlic

      
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

      
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning blend

      
1 (15-ounce) can red beans

      
4 cups collard greens, chopped

      
salt and pepper, to taste

1.
   
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and then the potato noodles. Blanche (a quick cook in water) the noodles for 3 minutes. Drain the noodles and set them aside.

2.
   
In a large skillet on medium heat, cook the andouille sausage until it begins to release some of its oil, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sliced green onions and cook another couple of minutes. Toss in the garlic and stir nonstop for 30 seconds. Add the vegetable oil, Cajun seasoning, and potato noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until the potato noodles begin to take on some color.

3.
   
Add the red beans, collard greens, salt, and pepper and cover. Cook for 5 more minutes or until the greens are wilted. Stir to mix everything together and serve hot.

Pad See Ew

While pad see ew isn’t as popular as pad thai, it is just as well liked. The noodles used in this dish are flatter and broader than in pad thai. The sauce also has a deeper, richer flavor. As much as I enjoy pad thai, I find myself making pad see ew, as it requires fewer ingredients. The entire dish is ready in 20 minutes or less.

In this recipe you will find two unusual ingredients. The first is oyster sauce and there really is no substitution for this. You can find it at any Asian grocery store and at many well-stocked grocery stores. If you are allergic to shellfish, “vegetarian oyster sauce” is a perfect substitution, as it is made from mushrooms. I recommend breaking down and getting the oyster sauce. There really is no better way to up your beef and broccoli or Asian stir-fry game. The second ingredient is kecap manis, or “dark sweet soy sauce.” If you do not wish to buy a bottle of this, it is pretty easy to make with items you most likely already have in your pantry. The recipe for homemade kecap manis is listed at the end of this recipe.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

      
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

      
3 cloves garlic, minced

      
1 boneless chicken breast, cut into small chunks

      
2 eggs

      
1 large zucchini, spiralized on blade 3

      
1 head’s worth of bok choy greens, chopped

For the sauce:

      
1 tablespoon brown sugar

      
3 tablespoons kecap manis or hoisin sauce

      
3 tablespoons oyster sauce

      
2 teaspoons soy sauce

      
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar or white vinegar

1.
   
In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium-high. Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add the cut-up chicken breast and stir to coat each piece with some of the garlic oil. Allow the chicken to cook, stirring occasionally for 6 minutes.

2.
   
While the chicken is cooking, mix your sauce. In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar, kecap manis or hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar. Set aside.

3.
   
Push the chicken to the perimeter of the pan and crack both of the eggs in the middle. Using your spatula or wooden spoon, stir up the eggs to scramble them in the center. Once the eggs are almost completely cooked through, stir the chicken into them.

4.
   
Add the zucchini, chopped bok choy, and sauce mix. Stir to coat. Turn the heat up to high. Stir occasionally and allow the noodles to become softened and translucent. The noodles and greens will release a lot of water. Allow that water to cook down and wait for the sauce to thicken to the point that it will coat the noodles. The greens and noodles should be wilted and coated in a thickened brown sauce. This will take about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.